No Surprises, Just the Photo: Radiohead in Bogotá

Live Music Photography2018

Jun 3

In April 2018, I had a break between tours. No clients. No assignments. I booked a flight to Bogotá, Colombia with one goal: take a single photo of Radiohead that belonged in my portfolio. Not for likes. Not for a post. Just a portfolio piece.

I’ve always respected Radiohead. Not just for their music, but for how they handle identity. The visual consistency. The way they choose collaborators. The long-game thinking. I wanted to capture something in line with that world.

I brought a Sony a6300 and an 18–105mm f4. No credentials. When I got to the venue, security stopped me. They asked if it was a professional camera. I said, “No?” They hesitated at my hesitation, then let me in.

If this had been the U.S., that answer wouldn’t have worked. But this wasn’t the U.S. I got in. And I got the shot.

The photo is simple. Clean framing. Sparse stage. Just the stage setup, the band, and negative space.

I lost the RAWs. This version is all I have. But it’s always been my personal favorite photo. I still use it on my site, even after a couple of pivots in the way I package my work.

In 2021, I was on a Zoom call with Adam Elmakias, one of the photographers I look up to most. He saw the image and said he liked it. Called out the minimalist style. That meant a lot. It reassured me.

There’s not much color. But the framing, the presence, the moment.. it’s interesting, focused. And it still feels like the kind of work I want to be known for.